Housing Conditions and the Child

Progress, Volume XIII, Issue 2, 1 October 1917, Page 38

Housing Conditions and the Child

We note with pleasure that, the Hon. J. A. Hanan, Minister of Education, has brought the matter of the care of the health of our children up before Parliament in his Report. In dealing with the Industrial School system in N.Z., he says that the question of the eradication of the slum areas of our towns and cities is one which demands the most careful consideration. It is a crime to place children in conditions that almost defy them to become healthy, decent, citizens. More care is taken over the rearing of stock than the rearing of children. The free kindergarten associations, however, are doing splendid work towards brightening the lives of city children, and in many cases stimulating parents to do more for the welfare of their children, and the Minister has, as far as possible, recognised the value of this work by arranging for an increased capitation and an improved status for the free kindergarten schools. The report goes on to state that owing to ; the overcrowding of institutions under the control of the Department it seemed as if it would be necessary to provide: A fourth institution, at a cost of not less than £21,000, with a recurring annual charge of about £6OOO. A subsidiary institution on the Burnham school estate for the detention of incorrigible hoys, at a capital cost of at least £BOOO and an annual maintenance charge of £2500. The rebuilding on a much extended scale of the first division

building at Tc Oranga Home, Christchurch, destroyed by fire some time ago. The cost of building was estimated at about £6OOO and the increased .annual cost at about £I4OO. Additional buildings at the Auckland Industrial School at a cost of £ISOO, carrying with it an increase of £650 in annual maintenance.